ArShi - Vampire Knight
by aria009hera
Summary: This is a story inspired by Zero and Yuuki on Arnav and Khushi. Check out when IPKKND becomes a vampire story.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

His throat burned. And as always, he hated it. Absentmindedly, he scratched the seal a little, maybe willing for it to work better. Nowadays, it was taking all of his concentration to divert his thoughts away from blood thirst. The seal was getting weaker as time passed, and he became stronger. Not the type of strong he would want to be. He sighed, and closed his eyes, to remember the wretched day. The day he lost his family, the day he met her and the day that changed his mere existence.

He was a Raizada, the most coveted of hunter clans, that existed. Had a mother, an elder sister. Had lost his father before opening his eyes to the world. Had never missed him though. His mother and sister had made sure he wouldn't. He had been trained, as the rituals dictated.

But then, those were changing times. Times his side didn't quite like, but had to agree to. They had claimed that replacement capsules had been invented, and no human life was in danger now. They had wanted peace. And the diplomats of both the sides had agreed. None liking each other's presence. Just tolerating each other. SO that the average NORMAL human was safe.

And then, came that day.

They had attacked, four E-class vampires, directly into their house.. In broad daylight. Ripped, Shredded, Destroyed everything, every mortal coming into sight. They had wreaked havoc, being the mad, fierce, blood-craved creatures they were. He had seen his mother come into picture, taking on two of them at once, shooting salt-coated bronze bullets into them. Slowing them down, till the venom oozed in them. But for some reason, they hadn't slowed down. They had continued their assaults, and in no time were sucking his mother dry of blood. A ghastly sight, as Arnav watched, unable to move. Some other part of his brain had registered his di being dragged into the other room by another of those creatures, and that was what had jerked him into action. He would save what small of a family was left to him, and he had ran. But he had been too late. Unarmed to top that. They bit him after they were finished with his mother. And would have completely annihilated his existence too, if help hadn't arrived.

He didn't need them. That was for sure. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind, even as majority of his mind dealt with the pain the vampire bite was casting on to his body, that he would turn. Any moment now. He would become the thing he hunted. The thing his ancestors had spent all his life hunting. And hell, he would proudly take death than become a lowly E-class scum.

But they assured him. Took him somewhere. Some place that he thought only existed in ghastly pirate tales for sure. And then they had put that SEAL. Onto the bite. It held itself there, more like a tattoo. Arnav hadn't winced even a little in the whole process.. How could he? Anything which saved him from becoming one of THEM was more than welcome. No more how much pain it brought with itself.

He had taken it all with his eyes shut. No nonsensical whining at all. And that's when Master had worried for him. Worried seeing his beloved god-son's eyes so frozen. So, he had taken him, to his new home.

That was the day a 16 year old Arnav met a really fragile looking 13 year old Khushi.

Master had introduced her when he brought Arnav home. And she had smiled an empathetic smile, to comfort him he had guessed.

"Arnav, this is Khushi.. You will now protect her.. That's why I have brought you here.." He had said..

*Knock Knock*

A faint knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts about the past. He covered his neck up with a high collared jacket and moved to see who was at the door.

"What have you been doing Arnav? Master is calling you..." She said.. Beaming like always for no particular reason.

"Khushi.. You are supposed to call him Dad! Not Master!" He corrected her coldly.. He knew hardly days were left and he himself would be the biggest threat to her.. That would be the day he would leave, for her safety..

"You call him Master! Then why shouldn't I?" She pouted.. coming closer to him..

"Because I am adopted.." He reasoned..

"Well So am I!" She fought back..

Ugghh.. She simply was unbelievable.. Nobody ever argued with a Raizada. That too , with the only Raizada left. But SHE. She was, is and would always be an exception..

He just muttered "Unbelievable" under his breath.. While she lead his way, elated at the smallest victory from him, to Master's Study Room...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She knocked Master's door. Standing outside, waiting like an obedient child. Sometimes, her innocence really made him wonder what times was she living in. She was all of 22, knew much more than an average human about the existence of vampires, had had her own parents slaughtered before her eyes at the tender age of 6, and still shone brighter than sunshine. From where did she find the strength to smile so much, he failed to understand.

Where as he shut almost everyone out, she gladly invited everybody in. She could empathize with even a dead ant for god's sake! How did she do all this?

She was so vulnerable emotionally, yet she excelled in weapons training. Even better than Arnav had done at his time. She was one of the best on field.

But for Arnav, Khushi never was a hunter. No.

He just could not allow her to hunt those slithering creatures alone. No matter how much she claimed of being the strongest, he would never let her on the night rounds alone.

It was after all, HIS duty to protect her. Why did Master let her learn in the first place? It would have been easy for him to do his job had Master not given in to her pleas for weapon wielding.

The door opened with a creak, making Arnav smoothen out his face's worry lines.

"You called for me, Master?" Arnav asked. Much like a cadet on duty. No matter what the conditions existed in reality, it would still be war to Arnav.

Vikram saw his all grown-up god-son with exhausted eyes. More than 9 years had passed and still his eyes had those steely frozen depths in them. As if he still was a soldier on war. When? When would the day come when he would understand that the fight was more political now than physical. It was not about killing vampires anymore. It was more about keeping everything a secret. Faking peace. Making sure public thought everything was peachy...

He sighed. More at himself than at the prevailing conditions. How much had he changed. And how much he missed the old Vikramaditya Dev. One who was feared by those damned vampires. One who would never plaster a smile on his face and shake their cold dead hands.

He felt his face soften automatically as his eyes landed on Khushi. How different had she turned out from what he had expected. But then, so true to her name. He smiled a little, at the absurdity of it all.

"Yes Arnav, and you can ease up a little. I am not sending you on a hunt, as much as you would like me to!" Vikram said the last line a little too sternly. Hinting him. And felt contented when he saw Arnav's face harden up a bit. Good! He thought.

"You and Khushi are going to come with me tomorrow... For the annual gala... It's high time you met those who matter, so that you spare them ATLEAST."Vikram added.

"Gala?", Arnav spat out, "Why? Master, I am ready to be punished every other way. But I am not going to a place where I have to breath the air they are consuming as well!"

He felt Khushi tugging his jacket from behind, as if to control him. If anyone understood Arnav's anger completely, it was Khushi. Didn't he use it mostly on her?

"Gala? That means we are going to a Party, Dad?" Khushi stepped in, anticipating another showdown between the two hot-headed men. None ever saw the others perspective and ended up going at each other's throats for hours.

Vikram saw what she did there. Emphasizing a little too much on the 'DAD' she used. He smiled, it was impossible not to.

"Yes beta, WE are going to a party. Make sure you dress appropriately." Vikram doted on her.

"Okay then dad.. We'll get going now.. Too much work to do.. Bye." She gripped the still silently seething Arnav from there, towards the door to escape, before Master said something else and all gates to hell opened. She would better separate the two very volatile substances away from each other.

"Wait. I am not finished with you, Arnav." Vikram said, " You are free to leave, Khushi."

Arnav let go off Khushi's hand. Urging a very visibly tense Khushi to leave. And when she still refused to move, he shut the door on her face.

Arnav closed his eyes, breathed in, and prepared himself to face what he had come here for in the first place.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Sit down.. It's not like I am going to shoot you.." Master said.

"I didn't commit a crime, Master. And you know that." Arnav said, sitting down.

Vikram got up himself, rummaging the bookshelf behind him, took out a battered copy of some book, and put it before Arnav.

"Open page 74, bottom most rule..."Vikram said slowly. Already tired of the times they had went through this whole piece of act.

Arnav had a slight smile on his face, opening the book. Like this piece of garbage ever stopped him. He was Arnav Singh Raizada for god's sake! Who were they kidding? Putting rules and regulations on him?

Still, to humor his master, he read it out aloud...

"No E-class is supposed to be harmed by a hunter, unless and until, it has, in any way, caused disturbance in the normal living world . Disturbance thus accounting for revelation of its true form, human casualties, or material destruction. Any hunter found guilty of killing an E-class by breaking this rule will be disarmed of his weapon, license and subjected to 5 mortal years in prison."

"Arnav, till when do you expect me to shield you?" Vikram asked, knowing very well that a full outburst was on its way..

"I don't want you shielding me. I DID NOT do anything wrong! Sooner or later, that E-class would have hurt people.. It was only logical to put two bullets in his head."

"ENOUGH! Do you have any idea how much fake destruction I had to generate to save you from them? Do think they are blind? Dumb? That they won't realize a Raizada out on Rampage? When the hell are you going to stop GODDAMMIT? I have lost count of how many you have killed! And I am TIRED! I won't be around saving your ass forever!" Vikram lashed out..

"Nobody asked you to!" Arnav stormed out of there, blood boiling upto an uncontrollable phase.

Arnav knew very well the seal weakened in these situations. Rage was a direct enemy against his control. And even though Master was the one who had sealed him in the first place, nothing regarding the current situation of the seal was known to him..

No matter how angry Arnav was at Master, he would never ever even dream of hurting him.

So he left.

Only to find Khushi standing in front of his room, waiting with anxious honey brown eyes...

"What the..." He came to a halt, very much wanting to wipe away the red appearing all over in front of his eyes.

"Arnav? You ok? What happened? What did Master say?" She asked.. breathless..

"Nothing" He grinded his teeth.. He chanted fervently.. Please leave Khushi.. Get away..

"Arnav please.. Tell me.. Why was he so strict? Did you do something?" Khushi moved near him.. Completely oblivious to the much struggling for control Arnav.

"GODDAMMIT KHUSHI! NOTHING HAPPENED! LEAVE!" He grabbed both her arms fiercely.. Still controlling the beast inside him to not pierce her fragile skin.. Bruising her arms completely, pushed her away...

His own bloodshot eyes burned a little more when they saw tears well up in Khushi's eyes.. A thousand questions still evident on her face..

Arnav knew, had there been somebody else in his place, Khushi would have wielded Artemis and shred the person into a thousand pieces. But there was nothing else he could have done.. He had to get her away from him.. Somehow.. Anyhow..

He locked himself in his room.. Crashing on to the floor.. Writhing in pain.. Physical or psychological, he didn't understand.. Laid down on the ground till the burn in his eyes and his throat peaked the maximum level possible, and then soothed...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_White... Everywhere she could look.. It was all white. Khushi felt so at peace.. Snow, it felt so nice under her feet. Strange, she was bare feet in snow... Why?_

_Who cared? Khushi felt like jumping, tracing different patterns, prattling around in the snow.. It was so rare that it snowed.. She wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.._

_She stretched out her hands to gather the falling snow into them... The hard, cold breeze striking her face felt really nice... Why? She didn't know.. The cold blistering storm technically should have hurt her cheeks, then why did it feel so good? Why did she feel so at ease in the cold?_

_She started walking aimlessly all around.. It was all white.. Endless.. Seamless.. White.. How pristinely beautiful, Khushi thought..._

_She was so busy dancing around, that it took her sometime to register something sliding the ground as she moved. She turned around, and found her own ebony tresses brushing the snow, forming amazing patterns of their own.. Strange.. When did her hair grow so long?_

_She had always loved growing out her hair, but training would have been difficult in them.. So she always had to trim them down.. How Arnav scowled every time she did that. She giggled, thinking of Arnav's reaction now.. He would be so happy, but dare he smile at her face! Naah.. It always seemed as Arnav had vowed to never smile... Couldn't he learn something from Khushi in all these years? How little it took for her to smile... Almost as little as it took for Arnav to get angry... She kicked the snow a little.. Making the white particles merge into more white..._

_Suddenly, she noticed a red splotch somewhere in the white. Huhhh.. It was such a tiny spot, yet, it was ruining all the white.. So typical! Arnav loved red, didn't he? But she didn't... Not even one bit... So she ran.. ran to the red spot.. Some really weird red that was... It wasn't even freezing in the snow, as if that tiny amount of liquid was retaining its form, even in the freezing temperature.. Now she was even more annoyed with that red spot... She bent down, scooped up a handful of snow and put it on that red.. covering it up.. She got so happy to restore her white.. All over again.._

_Finally she could enjoy the snow.. She bent down to pick up a handful more of snow, only to see that red again.. Had it grown in size? It seemed so.. Uggghh... So irritating.. She took more snow this time to cover it.. Yet it kept on growing... So, she kept on dumping more and more snow, until her hands got stained in that red color... Still the stupid red kept on growing... And somehow, her hands seemed to shrink with every try to bring the white back... Now it had somewhat started scaring Khushi.. The red just kept on pooling around her.. And the worst part was, it didn't seem to merge with the white snow, didn't fade out even a bit.. Just kept on increasing.._

_Khushi ran.. Why the hell did her feet seem to shrink as well.. Her feet were now soaked in that red, as she wandered around.. panting to get away from it... Her hair, now colored mahogany as they dripped in that red too, left a tracing line behind her as she tried to get away from it all... Searching for her white again... Her throat was parched and her breath was hitched.. Why was it all endless?_

_She ran and ran.. until she couldn't anymore.. She felt her tiny feet would give in any moment, and her eyes seemed to prick.. as if fighting back tears..._

_Finally, she saw a figure in the hail storm.. She sighed a breath of relief... At least somebody was here..._

_But the red kept on increasing... approaching.. intensifying..._

_As soon as she reached close to the figure she realized what it was... She couldn't think anymore.. No... Not this again... She saw the two corpses lying on the snow.. Blood drained.. And the figure, whom she had found so reassuring moments ago, was drenched in the blood... Eyes ruby red in color... She didn't need to see the face of the monster, those eyes were sight enough for her to freeze in place.. Her mind wanted her to scream.. but her throat felt just so parched... Her whole body as if kept on open fire, yet still frozen.. Those red eyes gazed into hers and she could make out that the monster just smiled at her.._

She got up with a jolt... Whole of her body was shivering, and she was drenched in her own sweat... This horrible nightmare kept on repeating itself for quite some time now... She had managed to suppress it most of her life.. but for the past few days, she didn't know why, it had come back to haunt her.. Her throat still felt dry, but she felt too scared to even move her body even an inch..

*Creak*

Her bedroom door opened, and Arnav entered in..

She saw him enter with a blank face. Ohh how much he tried to keep emotions off of his face, he should get an award or something. Khushi felt relieved at seeing him standing near her bed. But then, why was he here? Had she been screaming out aloud?

She tried to smile, or whatever excuse of a smile she could manage to bring on her face.

"Did I disturb your sleep? Sorry for the screams..." Khushi said apologetically, still trying to get her face back to the normal chirpy self.

"You weren't screaming.." He said, blankly. And came forward to sit beside her.

So typical of him, when did he ever need her to call for help? He always had been there.. Everytime she had seen that nightmare.. Everytime she had screamed in the past years.. And everytime she hadn't screamed in the past few days, he would somehow know she needed him, and silently come to her..

She clutched on to his chest, burrowing her head there... Screamed, cried, bellowed in agony, dreading seeing that horrendous sight before her eyes again, fighting against sleep. Her body shook with the pain her heart felt. The pain of losing her parents, her world, her perfect world...

Not once did he move.. Not once did he comfort her..

It was impossible for him to pacify HER... Wasn't he in as much pain as she was? Moreover, his pain was actually doubled. His heart bled each time he saw Khushi like that. Even tonight, when he had ran towards her room like a deranged freak, just to confirm that she was sound asleep.. He had felt fire burn and seep in his soul at the sight she was in.. Her bleached face would have put those bloodsuckers to shame. Arnav never knew how to stop himself when it came to Khushi. The protective instinct could not be compared to anything in the world. And that was why, everytime he even remotely failed, he felt like deserving to be burned at stake..

Somehow, he thought, while she broke down in grief on his chest, it was the overwhelming need to protect her that kept him sane. Master knew that very well, didn't he? That's the reason he gave him the responsibility in the first place, right? So that Arnav remains tied up to her. So that Arnav doesn't go on a mad rampage to slaughter every leech in sight.

He felt her sobs slow down a bit, that soothed his insides a little. He didn't have the heart to stroke her head, calm her.. Why would that help in the first place? She would be in this state again, wouldn't she? The only way to rid her of this nightmare forever was to eradicate all of the bloodsuckers. Make her watch the last one die. make her feel safe forever.

By doing so, thus dissipating his need in her life.

Wait. That _hurt_. Why did the thought of she not needing him hurt so much?

Maybe because, Khushi had always been his to protect. All the time, as far as he could remember, he had centered his life around protecting her. Yes, that must be it.

He didn't realize when his hands had circled her petite form into themselves. She was sleeping peacefully now, in his embrace.

He froze as soon as he came back to senses. And in mere seconds, laid her down on her bed, walked out towards his room, cursing himself for the thoughts roaming freely in his head regarding Khushi.

Ugghh.. His whole body was burning again.. Maybe she not needing him someday was for the best afterall. Then, he would go kill himself somewhere in peace, before he himself became a threat to her.

Khushi gave herself one final look in the mirror. She couldn't help but smile. For a change, Arnav had been sweet to her last night... It was rare that he hugged her to calm her down. Sometimes, she thought he wasn't even capable of such emotions. But then, time and again, though once in a blue moon, he would surprise her..

So today, she thought of surprising him back by wearing red.

A gorgeous red saree, with sequins adoring the border like creepers climbing up a tree. She had left her hair open after a long time, extremely pleased by their length now. They ended just on her waist. She knew the time to trim them back would come soon and Arnav would sulk silently again. Well, atleast he would be happy today, whatever his definition of happy was.

She made her way to Master's room, and... ran into a shadowed black figure that was emitting the deadliest darkest aura possible..

She shrugged and smiled, tugged on to the figure's hand, leading him to the Master's room...

Arnav didn't like this one bit. Did she even realize what she was doing to him? One look at her and all his emotions had gone haywire. There he was, pleasantly sulking in a corner. Why did she have to come, looking like a goddess nonetheless, touch him so majestically and lead him some place he didn't quite remember at this time.

When had she started liking red?

When had she started wearing sarees?

When had she started looking so heartwrenchingly beautiful?

When had she started smelling so mouthwateringly delicious?

Wait _What_? He stopped his train of thoughts then and there. The burn in his throat was making him think atrocious things for sure. Rather he shut all his senses tonight.

They reached the Gala. Master had given Arnav a real sweet and easy list of Do's and Don'ts for the evening, which quite frankly, translated to _tight leash._

He led both of them to the centre of the hall, somehow managing to look the most bewildered Arnav had seen him in all his life, introduced a certain someone to them.

"Arnav, Khushi, this is Lord Shyam, the ruler of Pureblood Vampires..." Vikram uttered, some unknown emotion playing on his face.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Huhh.. Lord!" Arnav dismissed to acknowledge the creature standing before him in all his might. While Khushi nudged her elbow in his rib to indicate him to behave..

Master left them to go to some other place, leaving Shyam eye both of them.. Something about Master's behavior was really odd, thought Arnav, coz for all his life, he had never seen his Master try so hard to hide his emotions..

That made Arnav all the more mad at the leech, as very few people on earth had the power to make Master flinch like that and leave quietly. His godfather, Vikram Aditya Dev, was almost a regal creature, if Arnav could speak out loud about him, the only attribute about Master that would leave his mouth would be Majestic.. Master was royal in every sense of the word, somehow helping Arnav preserve his own bloodline.. The Raizadas had been extinct for now, he being the sole survivor, yet, Master had always made sure Arnav knew what the definition of a Raizada was, how there's was a clan considered royalty in the hunting community..

"Hmmm…" the blood-sucker smiled at him, making Arnav's hair at the back stand up in disgust, "Even I don't like to be acknowledged like that…" Shyam said, "What are you called, Mortal?"

"Seems like your age is wearing your senses off.. Didn't you just listen to Master calling me Arnav?" Arnav was already seething. It was impossible to maintain conversation with things whom's head you wanted to rip off..

"You have no idea about my age,boy. I'd rather not indulge in a topic like that. Besides, I hardly pay attention to Vikram. Now Arnav… Right? What makes you think you are worthy enough to stand before me spouting such nonsense?", he smiled condescendingly, "You look pretty much like a useless mongrel to me…"

Arnav could swear he tasted blood just now in his mouth… Something for sure he had bitten. The bile already rising in from the pit of his stomach was a sure-shot indicator he wanted to shred this creature to pieces. How dare he humiliate Master like that.

"Its Arnav Singh Raizada, leech… Think before you say a word more about Master… We wouldn't want all these years of your existence end so abruptly now, Would we?"Arnav hissed…

The change in Shyam's behaviour was evident would have been an understatement.. He looked perplexed. As if he, the great timeless vampire lord, had finally witnessed a ghost.

But then, a smile played on his lips.. A mix of amusement and victory.. Finally, now he understood. Why Vikram wanted to hide this… So, this was going to be fun… He could use a toy to pass his time until he got what he had waited patiently for all these years…

"So, A Raizada in full flesh and _blood_…. Never thought one such existed… Should I be afraid mongrel? I thought we annihilated your clan ruthlessly… Did you hide in the closet to be spared?"

That was it.

That was so it.

He unged forward at his throat, while two really soft hands made their way holding him from his back… Whispering something into his ear…

Shyam laughed out watching the scene unfold before him… How beautiful she looked, completely panic-stricken, trying to pacify the measly petty human, as if her life depended on it…

Arnav straigthened up, swallowing the bile in his mouth… While Khushi's proximity made his senses go haywire, it also helped conentrate his mind only on her. Making everything around much more bearable…

He took in a deep breath, inhaling her intoxicating fragrance as much as possible, just to drown in her a bit.. So that the Venomous excuse of an existence in front of him could be ignored.

He opened his eyes, just to see Shyam now eyeing Khushi.

Lord, Was this creature out today to test his patience?

Without saying a word, he grabbed Khushi's hand.. Murmuring a very feeble "She's mine.." led her away from there…

"Arnav…" Khushi carefully asked once.. But neither did he reply, nor did he look back at her.. He was just hell bent on getting her out of sight of all these thirsty vampires around…

Completely ignoring the fact that he had thirsted for her early in the evening too…

Completely ignoring the promise he made to keep her away from him, just for her own safety…

Completely ignoring the fact that he had wanted to ravish her as soon as he had seen her in red…

"ARNAV! Would you please stop… Where do you want to drag me to? And What was that? Master told you to behave.. didn't he? Can't you control yourself just once?" Khushi could not take it anymore… She had had enough of dragging around for god's sake. She didn't even know where they were right now.. Master must be looking for them. Fear gripped her as she realized the situation they would end up in if Master came to know about what Arnav was inches away from doing just now…

Anxiously, she did what she would do every single time… She started nervously biting her own lips and mumbling to herself about all the possible ways she could keep Arnav away from Master.

He had been outraged at her outbreak just now, and had been more than ready to give her a piece of mind, till he saw her tremble and mumble jibberish while wreaking havoc on her lower lip…

"Khushi… Relax okay? Would you stop talking to yourself?" He tried his level best, to calm her down as well as keep his calm..

"Relax? YOU are asking me to relax? YOU of all people should know what happened just now! Why the hell could you not behave, Arnav? Why did you drag me out of there with each and everyone watching? Do you even know what punishment would await you back home? Why couldn't you RELAX then, Arnav?" She blurted out… Angry, yet still fumbled…

"I dragged you out here coz every leech had eyes for YOU! I cannot have any more creatures thirsting for you! Do you UNDERSTAND? Protecting you gets bloody damn painful! Why the hell are you wearing RED? You don't even like red as far as I know!"

"I wore red because you like it!" She uttered really softly, almost impossible for him to listen to… Her eyes teared up at all the screams he had just thrown on her face…

"Ouch!" Before she realized, her nervous biting had hurt her lip, making a small speck of blood rush out…

Instantaneously, before he even knew what he was doing, his lips were on hers. Sucking the magnificent drop of nectar, almost felt like Ambrosia to him… He continued nibbling softly into her lips, mad with bloodlust or just pure lust, he couldn't define. He continued grinding in his lips into hers, holding all of her frame possessively, not wanting to let go in the slightest…

He could feel her grip tightening onto the collar of his suit, her mind frazzled. Hell, he himself wasn't quite able to make out what he was doing, let alone blame her for being out of senses…

His grip tightened around her waist, making her gasp for air as he did so… Her eyes flew open as she felt him licking away her nape, as if savoring a really good meal before digging into it…

As soon as realization dawned on her, horrified, she pushed him away…

The instant she had pushed him away was the same instant he had realized he needed to stop.

Stop, before the protector became the marauder.

She gasped in shock, as she saw his eyes had an undertone of red at the moment…

"Arnav?" was all she could breathe out. A thousand questions flickering in her mind, going back to the day she had first met him…

He saw what her face looked like, and cursed himself, as bad as he could…

What could he do right now?

What could he say to her?

Wait, he couldn't say anything, but he could show her…

He saw her hesitant eyes… She took a step back from him, as if being wary of him…

This was the last thing he would ever want in his life… So, quietly he stripped his suit away, and opened the first few buttons of his charcoal black shirt…

This time, Khushi's eyes got even wider… She had heard folklores about it.. Had thought it to be a myth… Always hearing that a human being would choose becoming a vampire than enduring the pain of sealing…

Her eyes welled up completely now, as she took fast steps towards him, engulfing him in her arms.

Gently caressing the evident Seal on his neck, she cried…

Cried, for all the pain he would have endured… For all the pain he still endured… For the fight he still kept on going every day…

So what? So what if he had slipped once?

She couldn't imagine how hard he tried every day to stop the transformation…

He silently pulled his arms around her… Burning in her scent some more... Controlling himself more… Promising new promises of protecting her… Even when he realized, someday, protecting her would mean killing himself…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Arnav, Do you need something?" She had barged inside her room, without knocking, just to see him half naked with a grey shirt in his hand.

Her eyes lingered at that seal, she saw how it was engraved on his neck, a large black tattoo, with multiple markings she still had to study about. But what bothered her more, was the fainting of the marks on its edges..

Was it weakening so much?

What would happen the day it disappeared?

Would Arnav leave her then?

No… The last question wasn't something she wanted an answer to…

Arnav did NOT have the right to leave her. He just DIDN'T.

He was supposedly bound to protect her, wasn't he?

"Khushi, would you try knocking next time? Am not exactly dying here… Stop staring at the seal as if your life depends on it" he shrewdly added, slipping into his shirt and fastening the buttons.

If there was one thing in his life he hated more than filthy leeches, it was Khushi's worried face, especially for him.

What was the point in fidgeting over him, he wanted to ask her. It wasn't as if he mattered that much in her life, right? He was just a glorified bodyguard of sorts, right?

That was what he wanted to remain, in the first place.

He already could not believe what he had done couple of nights ago, and had purely blamed blood for it. _Her blood. _

There was nothing else he desired off her.. Yes, _nothing _else.

She had been overly cautious with him after that night. Constantly trying, to remain as close as possible. Sometimes he wondered who actually was responsible for the faulty wiring in her brain. Why was this girl so anti-self-preservative? Why couldn't she realize the danger he was and just STAY AWAY?

He noticed she had straightened her face on his order. But her eyes spoke otherwise.

"You are leaving for night rounds." She didn't ask, just stated. Knowing full well that if she said a word more, he would burst at her.

"Yes." He silently packed in the Bloody Rose into the gun holder belt.

She noticed that it was unchained right now. Since when had Arnav left chaining it to himself? Was he so sure of an attack tonight, that he wanted to wield the Rose so freely? Arnav had never let her touch the Rose, and at times, she wondered why? Wasn't it incapable of hurting humans? Or was Arnav disturbed by the sight of a gun in Khushi's hands? Well, that made sense. He rarely did see her with Artemis, and her staff was so less dangerous than Bloody Rose. How ironic was the creation of their weapons, right?

Why was she so worried nowadays? He thought, on his way out.

Why was she so worried about him nowadays?

She tossed and turned in her bed for the thousandth time it seemed.

He was out on rounds as usual, not something Khushi ever paid heed to before. After all, he was the best, right?

What could harm him?

Or was it, now, she was afraid he might harm someone?

NO!

She shrieked mentally…

How dare she even think of such an abominable thing?

Arnav could never hurt a mortal. Not even if his life depended on it.

The only creatures he had ever wanted to hunt were Vampires…

She sighed on the deduction. How cruel, he was turning into something he hunted each and every night.

As soon as she realized this, a question arose.

And all her existence shook and shivered at the answer to that question.

_Yes, he was going to kill himself the day he turned. _

Tears made their way out, violently, making her breathing jagged.

No! He wouldn't. He couldn't.

How would she survive without him?

Did he even for once think how many people he would leave behind helpless?

Did Master know what was going on?

Wouldn't Master stop him?

Ohh please god… _Make Master stop him_. She prayed. Knowing very well, that the only person that was capable enough of halting Arnav in his tracks was Master.

Her sweating increased as she heard the sound of door opening down the hall abruptly. _What? He had returned? _

It was 4 in the morning, and something had to be the matter, or else, he never would have come back early from his shift.

She got up from her bed, and ran towards his room. Only to find his room locked from the inside…

Something inside her was writhing in pain, and she couldn't just push this feeling away. So she did what her heart told her to do. _Kick the door from its hinges._

Just as the door opened, the sight in front of her confirmed all her fears. Her breath caught in her throat and she felt her blood drop to new lows.

There he was, slumped on the floor, pale beyond measure... The only color being the red underneath his eyes. He was breathing short gulps of air, as if inhaling itself was burning him. Her eyes moved on to his trembling hands, and she noticed his nails scratching the wooden floor beneath them, as if controlling something, trying desperately to regain balance.

"Arnav…" She breathed, stepping inside, gulping down the tears arising in her eyes at his condition.

"Leave… Please… Leave…" His voice was so low, yet so determined to push her away.

_Like hell she would leave. _

She moved further, and saw red somewhere else too. He was _bleeding. _His grey shirt was already crimson black, and her eyes, now adjusted to the dark room, were noticing that vividly.

Her mind shrieked at the possibility of what would happen if his body lost so much blood so quickly. And the idiot wanted her to _leave_?

She rushed to his side, cupping her face into her hands… He was losing consciousness by the minute, and there was nothing she seemed to be able to do…

The now long held tears made their way, as her helplessness started frustrating her…

"Arnav… Arnav? Stay awake for god's sake! Please! Please Arnav.." She choked out..

She felt his hand move, jerking her away with the little strength he could muster… She heard him gulp, and move his face away from her…

And an _idea _struck her…

"Arnav…" She pulled him close, "Bite me!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Arnav…" She pulled him close, "Bite me!"

Urgghhhh… He grunted, as if something was choking up his insides, and tried to shift away from her.

There was no way in hell he was going to commit this mistake, even if he was dying.

Hadn't he sworn he would protect her?

Hadn't he sworn he would take his life himself when a condition like this arose?

Knowing very well that his thirst was at its maximum controllable limit, and Khushi offering herself as a midnight snack not helping either, he pulled the Rose, which he was holding on to with his dear life, near to his chest.

She just saw what he did, and her hands instantly went to clutch the Rose. Yet he pulled away. What the hell was he even thinking? She wasn't letting him go that easily! Not now, when she saw that the Rose still accepted him.

He hadn't turned completely, and she was sure that she could save him right now.

She pulled him out of his soaked shirt, only to see the huge wounds on his chest. He was bleeding profusely, and if he didn't give in soon, it would become impossible to save him.

"Goddammit Arnav! Where did you get these from?" Khushi spat out at him, trying to come to terms with the fact that even Arnav could lose in a battle against leeches.

She had never thought she would see such a day when he, the mighty ASR, whom the hunters almost prayed to like a deity, would be fallen before her, frail, weak, insubstantial.

Yet, the idiot refused blood.

Khushi was going crazy here, trying to talk him into this… And all the half-alive Arnav was doing was shoving her away…

She felt anger welling up by each passing second, why did he have to be so stubborn?

Couldn't he just surrender and let her save him?

He had his eyes closed and his breath sucked in, his mouth away from her, as if she was an untouchable being and her presence was disgusting him.

The bloody Raizada had to be a Raizada on his death bed as well!

She saw him reaching for the Rose again, but this time, she jerked the Rose away, holding his weapon in her hand for the first time.

And instantly, the jolt she felt made her throw it away.

He was too busy controlling his pain and body to notice that she had been given the shock of her lifetime by his gun.

She still couldn't believe that the Rose had just scorched her. Why?

Wasn't the hunter weapons designed to help humans? They never rejected a human… The only revulsion they gave were to Vampires. Rose being the best among them, why would it hurt Khushi so badly?

Was the Rose so special that it only allowed Arnav to wield it? That must be it.

She rubbed her bruised hand and concentrated on the task in front of her, _keeping the last Raizada alive. _

His eyes were shut now, and she wasn't sure if he was breathing or not.

Her mind already frazzled, she tried what was the last resort.

She tore off the first two buttons of her night shirt, and brought him near her neck.

As soon as she did that, she could feel his breath return, quite miraculously. He was now taking in long breaths, as if her smell was of a delicacy ready to be savored.

She felt his bloody hands clutch her shirt from the back, pulling handfuls of silken fabric, exposing her neck way more than she wanted to.

Now, for a fraction of a second, she felt afraid.

Would he be able to stop?

Before she could think of the answer to that question, she felt his rough stubble graze the contours of the side of her nape, moving downwards to her chest.

His ragged hot breaths were creating more goosebumps on her than her fear for him was. And she closed her eyes, trusting him in whatever he would do to her now. It was too late to regret anyways.

As long as this kept him alive, she was ready to do this every day.

And that's when she felt it finally.

The teeth.

She felt really hot for a second, as his teeth bit into her flesh. She clutched his shoulders, fearing the pain that would ensue. But strangely, she didn't feel any of it.

Never in her weirdest dreams would she have imagined such a scenario. Never would she have thought of him as an animal.

But yet, here he was, quenching his thirst with her. He drank away furiously, his hands roaming all over her, pushing her into his body even more, as if the proximity was needed more than the blood. Her hands made their way down to his back, and she sighed in contentment, as his wounds began to heal at an accelerated rate.

And then finally, he stopped. She felt him regain a bit of control and pull his teeth out of her nape, but his lingering breath still creating havoc on her senses.

She thanked all the heavens that her plan worked, for she couldn't imagine an existence without him.

Just as she tried to pull herself away, she felt his hands on her back jerk her to halt. She couldn't understand what else he wanted; when she suddenly felt something really warm on her throat. His tongue was tasting her slowly now, slithering downwards to the valley in between her mounds. It felt as if he still was hungry for her, but in control just enough to not take a bite.

She couldn't take this anymore. This was worse than her offering him the blood. At least, it made sense when he drank from her. But this? This wasn't making any sense. Why was he treating her as a lover? Her whole system was getting more bewildered at the moment, and all she wanted was that he consumed her fully now, coz she sure couldn't live with the aftermath of this.

"Arnav…." She called out softly to him, stifling a moan escaping her lips.

And with a jerk, he was BACK.

She saw the cold return in his eyes, as if she had called him back from a dream to face some ugly reality.

He pushed her away, and moved to the other corner of the room, picking up a fresh shirt.

She sighed. Yes, what else did she really expect out of the Raizada?

Well, at least she could now get an explanation of how he got hurt…

Getting up from the ground, she covered the bite mark with her hair, fastening the buttons of her nightshirt, very well knowing he was aware of what she was doing, yet he refused to pay attention to her.

"Arnav, would you tell me how you got injured?" She asked, trying to hide the concern, not that it helped.

He took in a short breath, he owed her that much. So might as well be out with it.

"Rose rejected me. And there were too many of them." He told her coldly, "You should leave."

"Why? So that you leave as well? Don't you think I know you well enough Arnav?" She asked furiously.

"After what happened, you know I deserve to leave! I won't be around you dammit!" He flipped back at her.

She felt like crying. Yes, she was right about the aftermath. But well, she was Khushi after all. Might as well try the last card she had.

"You even try that and I'll tell Master! He needs to know what is happening with your seal! Maybe he can help!" She screamed, desperately, at the brink of tears.

He lunged forward, and held her by her shoulders, his fingers bruising her skin now. "Don't you dare tell Master! Got it!" And he shoved her out of the room, unwilling to face her flowing tears, unwilling to let her see his pain as well.

He slouched down on the door he had just closed on her face, admonishing himself for what he had just done. How was he any better than the leeches? Wasn't the only difference in this situation that he didn't infect her? What was the point! He just violated her body right now. Used her as food! He hated himself. He hated himself more than she probably did right now! He deserved to die. He should have died before committing such a sin.

She woke up with swollen eyes. What else would have resulted in so much crying anyway? She had slept through most of the day, and had missed almost all the classes she had to take.

She bandaged the wound, and got ready heading out for the main drawing room.

"Beta, at least inform me when you plan on sleeping throughout the day."

She stiffened as she heard Master's voice from behind her in the hallway.

Fixing her hair, she turned around, praying that he didn't notice the mark.

"Sorry, Mas… Umm.. Sorry, Dad.." She stammered.

Vikram felt blood leaving his body, as his eyes settled on what he saw.

A scar.

No, a bite wound.

"Khushi! Who DID this?" He roared.

And she gulped, scared at his thunder.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Khushi! Who DID this?" He roared.

And she gulped, scared at his thunder.

She never knew the weapon she had used last night at Arnav would make its presence known this fast. Never had she planned on using it. And watching the face Master had right now, she was petrified to the core.

Vikram never wanted this. _Her blood. _No, this was surely apocalyptic. He definitely had to kill the creature that did this. He would answer her later as to why she wasn't turning into them.

But knowing Khushi, the creature should have been dead by now. Then why did she refuse to open her mouth to him?

His anger was rising by the minute. This was _NEVER _supposed to happen. Let alone the promise he had made to her mother, this wasn't supposed to happen because Khushi's blood wasn't exactly a Vampire's everyday meal.

Then, he actually saw her face. Oh.

She wasn't opening her mouth, obviously.

She would never really go against HIM, right?

All Vikram could see was red.

Ruined. His happy little family was ruined. Everything had just reduced to ashes now.

He thrusted forward into Arnav's room, Khushi following him, pleading something, but strangely, Vikram couldn't hear what she was saying.

"Arnav! ARNAV!" He bellowed. Without waiting for a response, he kicked down his door from the hinges, only to find him asleep on his bed.

"How! Why! Why did you?" He lunged at his neck, throttling him out of sleep, surprised.

Arnav couldn't believe that he wasn't dreaming.

Did she really do this?

She rat him out?

So, she meant it all last night?

Why was she this desperate to keep him, dammit? He coughed, now feeling his godfather's own hands choking the daylights out of him.

He knew Master would be mad if he got to know, but this mad?

Arnav saw into Master's bloodshot eyes, and now he surely understood why he was called 'The Fangless One'. He looked like one of them, crazed, bloodthirsty, filled with rage, but for all of his self-preservation aside, he'd be damned if he laid his hands on Master.

Vikram threw him into the corner of his room, smashing the shelves from his weight. Somewhere, he knew Arnav would not defend himself, he would take it all like the pupil he was brought up to be, but right now, Vikram was outraged. More at the fact that Arnav didn't tell him about the seal.

Why didn't he! And now, now it was all too late!

"Answer me! How dare you touch her? What's the difference between you and the leeches now! I should kill you right here!" He slapped Arnav again, but suddenly, a screech behind him caught his attention.

Khushi had been wildly trying her best to stop Master from laying his hands on Arnav. It wasn't Arnav's fault. It was she who had forced him last night. Then why was Master hurting him? And then, she heard the death threat he gave, and a scream escaped her involuntarily.

She cowered at the thought of him being gone, and with tears raining down her face, held on to Master's hand fiercely, pleading him to let go off Arnav.

"Master… Please… Let him go. It wasn't his fault. Please… I beg you. Stop hurting him… Please."

Vikram never thought this day would come. He saw Khushi's face praying to him to stop. Never in his worst of nightmares would he have thought his one child would plead to him for the life of other.

He sighed for a second, and then started dragging Arnav by the collar.

Khushi still screamed, wailed, trailing behind, comforting Arnav, trying to help him stand a bit while Arnav continued to push her away from him, even if he was half conscious now.

Vikram didn't know the outcome of what he was about to do. Maybe he would lose him forever. Or maybe, just maybe, there was a tiny speck of hope. But even that hope came with an expiry date.

He hauled Arnav to the underground dungeon, the place they used to use as Torture rooms back in the days. As soon as he reached the dark chamber, he pulled Khushi away from Arnav, using a little more force than was required, making her stumble back.

He locked the chamber from inside, leaving a deranged helplessly screaming Khushi outside.

"NOO! Master please… Please don't do anything to him. Please… Master punish me… He didn't commit any crime… It was all my fault… it was all MY fault!" She heard her own voice fall on deaf ears.

Khushi didn't know what Master would do to him, but she knew she had to stop him. She had this ominous feeling that was clenching her throat that Arnav was going to part away from her.

There finally was dimmed light in the chamber, and Khushi saw what it was.

No. No. NO. Master wouldn't do this to him. Not again.

There was no way he would survive this.

No, not resealing.

No hunter had ever survived this.

She would lose him.

She would lose her Arnav. Forever.

Vikram did not have an option on him. It was this or death for Arnav. And if Vikram had even the slightest of control over anything, he would not let Arnav die.

So what, if no human had ever survived being re-sealed?

This was no ordinary human, his Raizada blood would keep him alive. For sure.

And if that didn't, then he was sure Khushi's blood would do the trick.

The worst part of it all was performing it. The first time around he had barely managed to perform it on him. Vikram wasn't sure if he could deal with paining Arnav to this extent.

Yet, he did.

He watched him writhe.

He watched him scream.

He watched him burn in pain.

He watched her scream everytime he did.

He watched his whole body go numb with the anti-venom.

He watched her bleed her hands out banging the doors to open.

He watched it all.

And then, when it was all done, he opened the door, and watched what made him shiver from his core.

She ran in, and snaked her arms around Arnav's slouched body.

Weeping for him, wiping away his pain. Soothing him with whispered nothings.

Vikram watched history repeat in front of his eyes. He watched a vampire and a human falling in love again. And somewhere in his heart of hearts, he prayed the outcome to be different than last time.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Vicky, you know I will be marrying him. Why do you still bother?" She asked, ever so majestically, teasing him to no ends possible.

Was she this cruel because of what she was or she just enjoyed rubbing venom into his wounds that mercilessly?

He forced her cold body to snuggle closer to his, and couldn't help but get his hands tangled in those unending locks of ebony again. Intuitively, he leaned into them and placed feathery light kisses, wherever he could.

Oh, she smelled just like a wood nymph.

"Maya…" her name was all he could manage to utter out, as he let himself get intoxicated again; indulging into the strongest drug he had ever known in his life.

She kissed him back with equal fervor, trying dejectedly to bring her body to his heated temperature. Her fingers tingled as they traced the surface of his skin.

They entwined into each other for hours, giving new definitions to fire and ice.

When had she started becoming the absolute sole of his existence?

And when exactly had he turned into a fool for letting her become that?

She rustled a little next to her, slithering close to her mouth again, playing that devilish smile on her lips.

"Shouldn't you be killing me, Vikram?" She asked with that hint of two-toning laid in her voice.

Well, wasn't she just ruthless. She wouldn't waste even a moment, right?

Just hit the man where it hurts the most.

"If we are talking about killing each other, you have a better chance at it than I do… Considering you are so good at making me lose my senses." He jibed her, hoping for another tongue-in-cheek reply.

Instead he felt her move away.

She had covered herself in sheets, and walked to the edge of the room, near the windowsill.

He knew she was trying to rake it all in. It would always take her some distance to keep her feelings from flowing out.

He heard her clear her throat, and a small laugh escaped him.

"I have no time to soil my hands with your blood, Vikram. At least while being alive, you are of use for my pleasure."

This was exactly why he loved her. Yes, loved her with all his life.

She would never become weak. Even though he knew her state thoroughly, his own being the same, he knew she would never shrug away her responsibilities.

"Stop spouting nonsense and come back to bed." He ordered, repeating the aforementioned pleasure innumerable times.

"You should be going now." She had said as soon as the first rays of sun had hit the skies.

"Why? You don't want your all-important fiancée to know anything?" Vikram had laced venom spouting the _fiancée _.

What was the point in hiding his disgust?

It wasn't as if he could do anything.

"You know he already knows. Stop blaming Jay as if he's at fault." She tried to divert his now rising anger somewhere else.

"Ohh no! Definitely not! It's your stupid Lord Shyam and his prophecies that are bullshit! He's practically a thousand years old! How dare he still spout such nonsense? Your people are mad to even think that you can keep your race PURE and UNADULTERATED!" Vikram angrily stomped off her home, the helplessness turning into frustration.

Every meeting of theirs ended like that… But like a drug addict, he would go to her every time she called, and face the same question she asked every single time, never answering it.

She had to be married to Jay. She had to give birth to a child.

She had to give birth to _that _child.

Vikram woke up in a pool of sweat. His heart still beating rapidly, her last words reverberating in his ears… _Let her make her own destiny. _

"Tch Tch Tch… Seems like she still doesn't leave you in peace, does she?" Vikram jerked his head in the direction of that voice, the voice which made him want to empty the contents of his stomach.

"Why are you here?" He managed to croak out.

"Maya was a difficult one. Of course, who else would know better than you. How hard she tried to get her away from me… Tell me Vikram, is it fair to keep the love of your life away from you?" He smiled, that very instant letting Vikram know what his intentions were.

Vikram got off the bed, swiftly unveiling his scythe. No, this couldn't be happening. It wasn't time.

"Yes, it is time." Shyam laughed, "I am impressed that you think you stand a chance against me Vikram."

Vikram didn't know what to do. He couldn't let Khushi go that easily. She still didn't know anything about anything. She still needed to know truth from someone who wasn't lusting after her blood.

"She doesn't need to go with you. There is still time." Vikram uttered, trying to knock some sense into Shyam.

"No. You have run out of time Vikram. I need her to be my queen now. And I know she will love me. She was born for that purpose."

"No!" Vikram lunged at him, only to hear a loud slash and air blow out of his lungs.

Arnav had just finished his guard shift and come back to the mansion. As soon as he entered, something just didn't feel right. It felt as if everything was heavier, even the air.

So, out of habit, he went to check up on her. Maybe she was having one of those nightmares again.

He climbed the flight of stairs impatiently, as he always would when that nagging feeling at the back of his head refused to budge.

Only to find her room empty.

Where was she?

He knew she wasn't on shift. His throat went dry as he rummaged that wing of the mansion to find her, screaming out her name.

He reached the rooftop, and for a second was blinded by the sudden surge of moonlight. Strange, wasn't moonlight supposed to be gentle?

The chilly wind didn't really make a difference to his skin, but the shadow he saw on the edge of the roof did.

There was a man, with ruby eyes, crouched up on the edge, with someone in his arms.

Arnav rushed nearer to get a clear picture, as to which wretched leech had even dared to come to the home of the leader of Slayers.

And he froze.

It was that Shyam he had met the other day.

With Khushi in his lap.

Grazing his tongue hungrily over her nape, with an uncontrollable madness in those red eyes.

Arnav didn't even try. His hands moved on their own to wield the Rose. Before he knew it, he had fired three shots at Shyam.

While he was doing that, the back of his mind registered something. Why wasn't Khushi waking up at gunshot sounds?

She wasn't dead. Definitely not. He could still smell her warm and fresh.

Then why wasn't she waking up?

"You really want to wake her up, don't you, Boy?" The leech disgustingly smiled. Making Arnav aware of his ability.

The Rose didn't hurt him?

Crap. So it was true after all. Purebloods could not be killed!

Shyam seemed delighted by the look on his face.

"I'll do you a favour, Raizada. I'll wake her up."

And before Arnav could even move, Shyam fangs dug into Khushi's neck.

He didn't remember how many rounds he fired in that moment.

But to no avail.

He saw him wiping blood off his lips but what he saw next drained the blood out of his own body.

Khushi… Her hair… Her eyes… Her skin…

Her hair was literally crowding up the ground beneath her feet, and her skin was void of any color whatsoever.

But her eyes, her eyes were what made Arnav's hands move on their accord, and shoot her.

She had the ruby eyes.

The bloody ruby eyes of a pureblood.

She stared with those eyes at him. Her face full of confusion as to why he had just shot her… Not that the shots seemed to hurt her, they just deflected away from her skin.

Shyam pulled Khushi's hand, and led her away… While she still couldn't make sense of any of it.

Arnav stood there for what felt like eternity. His mind boggled. A thousand questions drilling holes into him.

Only after the sun rose and its rays started to burn his skin a little, he moved to find the man who had the most answers now… Master.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

He hurried his steps as soon as he smelled blood, and froze as he felt his world collapse in front of him again.

The burn intensifying in his throat, the seal burning the burn, and his own soul torturing him for giving attention to the burn when he knew who's blood it was in the first place.

Master was bleeding. So damn freaking much.

And what was he doing? He was feeling thirsty.

He cursed himself some more, and rushed to the shivering body of Vikram. God, how had he let all this go wrong? And what was he supposed to do?

He tried to bring Master to consciousness, trying his level best to wake him up, not let him slip into the deep dark sleep of death.

And suddenly, Master started coughing out blood. Arnav could almost feel tears pricking through the side of his eyes, when he heard the really shaky voice come out of Master's body.

"Rule Book..."

He could swear he wanted to kill Master. Even right now, at his deathbed, Vikram wanted Arnav to follow rules? How bloody fucking crazy was that?

Maybe Master really was crazy. Who would say such a thing at their death beds?

Yet, controlling his anger somehow, he tried to save Vikram, "Stay Awake, Master... Please." He breathed, calmly.

He felt a feeble smile tug at Vikram's lips, his breathing becoming more ragged than it already was.

"Let her make her own destiny..." Vikram told him, and shut his eyes, his strength finally running out.

"Master? _Master? _ MASTER! WAKE UP! WAKE UP MASTER" He couldn't believe the tears flowing down his cheeks.

No. This wasn't happening.

No. Master hadn't left him alone.

No. He wasn't an orphan again.

No. _No. _NO!

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Arnav still couldn't believe any of it. Not more than a few hours had passed, when he had put Master on fire.

Was all this really happening?

Just few hours ago, he had been on shift.

It had been a night like every other night.

And now, his entire world seemed to turn into ash before him.

What was he supposed to do now?

There was no Khushi anymore.

There was no Vikram anymore.

Who was he supposed to live for?

Dejected, he went to Master's study, trying to find some sense into the whole situation.

All the other parts of the house felt eerie to him. As if they were mocking his existence, telling him that he was a bane to anybody who existed close to him.

For the first time in ages, he asked the higher powers, why did they always leave him?

Wouldn't it be better if he was killed too?

He settled down on the main chair behind the wide mahogany table, and sighed. How many times had he been on the receiving end of this table? How many times had he shot at Vikram for one thing or the other? How many times had he broken the rules that were so dear to Master?

He felt like choking himself to death.

What was the point of living anymore?

Blood shooting through his ears, he didn't know what he wanted anymore.

What he would not give for Master to be alive.

What he would not give for Khushi to be a human.

What he would not give for the answers to the questions roaming in his head.

Dejectedly, he tried obeying Master's words, and took out the rule book, proclaiming to himself that he had gone crazy too.

It only contained everything he already knew about. Not a single rule was there about which Arnav didn't know. And how would he not know, when all of this had been taught to him since the time he could read.

After hours of not finding anything new or useful, he shut the book, and placed his palms on the sides of it, landing his head on the back cover, sighing in defeat.

That's when it hit his head, quite literally. The back cover had a very non-uniform surface, as if something had been encased in it.

And instantly, he was tearing out the cover, looking for what was beneath it.

He found an envelope, encasing a letter. Impatiently, he opened it, now knowing that Master hadn't gone crazy after all.

_Arnav Beta,_

_If you have this letter in your hands, then I am guessing I am defeated. And dead too. _

_So, now that both the aforementioned things have happened, I would like to tell you why they have happened, cause there is only one possible circumstance that would make me face defeat. _

_Khushi. _

_I know she is still a teenager right now, and you are still just a protector looking over her right now. But things will change in the future. _

_At times, you would think why I made you her protector anyway. Looking at how her skills are developing right now, she barely needs protection in future. _

_But that is where you might go wrong. _

_She doesn't need protection from the future, beta... She needs protection from her past. _

_If you haven't faced the truth already, than I would like to tell you, that Khushi is a S-Class Vampire. _

_She was born to the noblest of families amongst their world, at a time when we were still at war with them. _

_But her being an S-Class is not the problem. Her being born is the problem. _

_She was conceived on orders from the 'then' ruler of their world, __**Shyam. **__The wretched bastard wanted a wife, a queen, a soulmate. And prophesied that the child born to Maya and Jay, would be his other half. _

_And like everyone else, Maya and Jay had to obey. But that didn't mean they wanted to obey. No matter how much Shyam was worshipped; nobody would have given up their child willingly to Shyam for marriage. _

_So, Khushi's parents wanted to get rid of this prophecy. They wanted the child to have her own power over who she loves. _

_And they knew, once she met Shyam, she wouldn't have any conscious thought process left to deny him. _

_But before anything could be done, they were murdered. I had to seal off Khushi. _

_Shyam had gone into hibernation back then. Nobody knew why, but he had. _

_But if I am dead and you are reading this letter, it's more than obvious that he is back for Khushi. _

_I know this is a huge favor to ask, beta. But I need you to save Khushi. Save her as if your own life depended on it. _

_I know you are not that fond of Khushi, but please, do this for me. _

_I have promised her mother, and I want you to fulfill that promise in case I am unable to. _

_And Arnav, I am sorry that I am this hard on you. But you have to know, losing your father was the worst pain I had to face in my life. He was a brother. And if you kept breaking rules, you would end up like your father. And I cannot lose you. _

_I may not say this often, but I love you Arnav. You are the son every father would be proud of. _

Arnav crumpled the letter in his hand, and let the water flow freely from his eyes, burning everything inside him.

At least, he knew he had to live now. For Master. For Khushi.


End file.
